Book wrapper



BOOK WRAPPER 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 25, 1967 v! m z M N m m M h r 6 W 9 W m 2 .m a on l 2 o 7 v 2 w w IBM! 7 A HPIPI HW H A A 6 0 A 2 w u m 2 0 n n n F N m n n l f a 5. h u r 3 M n 9 u 2 1 E m I W L MLI 2A. my I {,7 M w W Wu 2 P 6 w 2 Sept. 3, 1968 N. A. RINGHOLZ BOOK WRAPPER Filed July .25, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig; /3

lNl/EN TOR Norbert A. Ringho/z W 5: MW

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,399,821 BOOK WRAPPER Norbert A. Ringholz, Sandusky, Ohio, assignor to West Virginia Pulp and Paper Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed July 25, 1967, Ser. No. 655,828 12 Claims. (Cl. 22940) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An easily assembled, one-piece corrugated paperboard shipping container is presented for mailing books or other fiat objects, which incorporates an automatic bumper end feature to protect the corners of the object being mailed.

Summary of the invention This invention relates to an improvement in shipping containers for books and other similar objects and particularly relates to shipping containers which are adaptable for automated packaging.

Book publishers and manufacturers of similar articles must package their product in such a way that maximum protection is afforded, yet minimum time is expended in packaging. Several publishers ship thousands of identically-shaped books each month. It is desirable that these publishers have available a shipping container which is strong, durable, and with adquate protection for the ends of books, yet adaptable for automated packaging.

Prior attempts to resolve these problems have been concerned mainly with cushioned wrappers, formed from corrugated paperboard, wherein the corners and ends of the package include several thicknesses of paperboard in overlapping engagement. These designs have met with some success, however, the overall package proved to be bulky and diflicult to set-up on automatic folding machinery.

A demand exists, then, for a wrapper which affords additional cushioning protection for the contents, especially at the corners and ends of the package, the wrapper being of a character such that it may be readily set up on machinery as well as by hand. Briefly, this need is met by the herein described and claimed corrugated paperboard wrapper which utilizes a particularly cut and scored end wall construction to grip and protect the corners and ends of the packaged article. The invention by its unique construction requires less board than previously employed wrappers and also is simpler to erect because of the necessity of fewer folds. Several embodiments are disclosed each operating on the same simple principle but showing different sealing and opening innovations. In one instance, an end flap and a pair of corner flaps attached to a top panel are folded around to engage and be secured to a bottom panel. In alternative embodiments, the top panel is formed in two parts which abut one another to be secured together with mailing tape. Of the opening systems contemplated, in some embodiments a tear strip is used either extending for the length or around the width of the package. Where the wrapper is sealed by glue flaps or with mailing tapes, the package would have to be opened by any suitable means.

Description of drawing FIGURE 1 shows a plan view of a corrugated paperboard blank forming one embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 2 shows in perspective a portion of the wrapper of FIGURE 1 partially folded to encompass the book to be mailed;

FIGURE 3 is a partial sectional view taken along the lines 3-3 in FIGURE 2 to show the X-shaped end panel feature which is characteristic of each of the embodiments disclosed;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of one end of the completely wrapped pacckage shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 shows a blank forming a second embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 6 shows a portion of the blank of FIGURE 5 in perspective partially folded to house the object to be mailed;

FIGURE 7 shows a blank forming a third embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 8 shows a portion of the blank of FIGURE 7 in perspective and partially folded to retain the object to be mailed;

FIGURE 9 shows a fourth-embodiment of the invention in blank form;

FIGURE 10 shows in perspective a portion of the blank of FIGURE 9 folded and ready to be taped for mailing;

FIGURE 11 shows a fifth embodiment of the invention in blank form;

FIGURE 12 shows in perspective a portion of the blank of FIGURE 11 partially folded prior to being glued; and

FIGURE 13 shows a bottom view of the completely folded and glued wrapper illustrated in FIGURE 11.

Detailed description In the embodiment shown in FIGURES l-4 of the drawing, the wrapper is seen to be formed from a corrugated paperboard blank comprising the conventional bottom panel 10, side walls 13, 14 and cover flaps 11, 12. These panels are proportioned in size by the manufacturer, depending on the size and shape of the book or other article to be packaged and mailed. Each panel is separated from the other by suitable fold lines 15, 16 to enable the panels to be easily folded either by hand or on folding machinery. The novelty in the present invention lies in the unique end panel construction shown partially folded in FIGURE 2, which provides an automatic bumper end feature to protect the corners of the object being packaged. Referring particularly to FIGURES 1 and 2, the end panel comprises a retaining flap 26 attached to the bottom panel 10 by a plurality of legs or brace members 25, 27. The brace members forming the outer extremity of the end panel are defined by strategically located cut and fold lines so that they may assume the position shown in FIGURE 2 when the retaining flap 26 is folded parallel to the bottom panel. Referring again to FIGURE 1, it is noted that in the preferred embodiment, there are two legs 27 located at the sides of each end panel which are formed by cut lines 22 and fold lines 18 and 21 to separate the legs 27 from the bottom panel 10 and retaining flap 26 respectively. Between these two legs 27 is an intermediate leg 25 separated from bottom panel 10 and retaining flap 26 by fold lines 19 and 20 respectively. Because of the staggered relationship of the fold lines, when the end panel is folded it assumes an X-shaped pattern as shown in FIGURE 3. This latter figure illustrates clearly how the brace members 25, 27 obliquely bridge the space between the bottom panel 10 and retaining flap 26 when the book or other object is packaged in the wrapper.

The end panel on the opposite side of the wrapper is formed in the same manner with brace members or legs 25, 27 being defined by fold lines 18 and 21 offset from fold lines 19, 20 in conjunction with cut lines 22 forming an integral part of bottom panel 10 and retaining flap 26. It should be clear to one skilled in the art that the brace members 25, 27 could be rearranged or reversed by changing the orientation of the fold lines so that the two outer brace members 27 would extend out from bottom panel 10 at an angle greater than ninety degrees and inner brace member 25 would project in from the bottom panel 10 at an angle less than ninety degrees. This change would 3 result in an end closure arrangement as illustated on the right side of the FIGURE 10 modification. Such alteration would depend, of course, on the particular use the shipper required.

The completed package shown in FIGURE 4 illustrates how well protected the corners and ends of the packaged object remains once the package is sealed. The cover flaps 11, 12 extend to the upper extremity of brace member 25 at fold line 20, and the brace members 27 project out from bottom panel 10 to a point in the same vertical plane as the outer edges of cover flaps 11 and 12. This criss cross or X-shaped relation of the legs or brace members 25, 27 on each end of the wrapper provides a very rigid structure which can withstand substantial rough treatment without damage to the contents.

In recapitulation, the book wrapper is formed from a single blank of corrugated paperboard material so that the end panels may be folded to form a pair of parallel surfaces separated by cushioning legs or braces. The legs are formed by slitting the blank at each end panel and providing offset, but parallel fold lines on each side of the alternating legs, so that the scored sections defining each leg when folded lie in alternating common planes which criss cross with the plane of the next adjacent leg. This pattern is repeated with every other leg so that should there be an odd number of legs in the end panel, one half of the legs plus one would lie in one common plane, and the remainder of the legs would lie in the opposite plane. For an even number of legs in the end panel, half would lie in one plane and half in the opposite plane.

The second embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURES 5 and 6 employs the same basic structure as used in the FIGURES 1-4 embodiment, except for provision of additional end panel closure fiaps 30, 31 at each end of the cover flaps 11 and 12. The remainder of the wrapper is cut and scored precisely as the FIGURE 1 embodiment to form alternate, oblique legs or brace members 25, 27. In this embodiment as in the FIGURE 1 embodiment, the end panel construction could be altered by changing the orientation of the fold lines to reverse the positions of the respective brace members without deviating from the scope of the present invention. It should also be apparent to one skilled in the art that more or less than three brace members could be employed in each end panel by using the construction technique hereinbefore set out to produce a wrapper within the scope of the present invention.

The additional end flap panels 30, 31 incorporated at the end edge of each cover panel 11, 12 in the FIGURE 5 embodiment yields a more integrated wrapper which provides better corner protection during handling to the object to be shipped. The flaps eliminate the open space at each corner which is a characteristic of the FIGURE 1 embodiment wrapper.

Also illustrated in FIGURE 5 are two possible tearstrip configurations 28, 29. Either of these opening means could be employed on any of the wrappers to provide access to the object to be shipped. The tear strip is formed by applying spaced side by side weakened lines in the inner liner, the weakened lines being preferably located transverse to the corrugations So that by grasping one end, and pulling outwardly, the inner liner will rip through the corrugated medium and outer liner and form a continuous tear strip thereby opening the container.

The book or other object is packaged in the FIGURE '5 wrapper by placing the object on the bottom panel with its edges located adjacent the fold lines 15, 19. The wrapper must be sized for the object to be packaged to assure a snug fit. The end panel retaining flaps 26 are then folded around the object so that the fold lines 21 grip the upper edges of the object and the fold line 19 grips the lower edge of the object thereby forming the automatic bumper end feature previously mentioned. In this condition, the retaining flaps 26 are parallel to b t seParated from the bottom panel by the thickness of the packaged object, and the brace members 25, 27 assume the X-shaped orientation shown in FIGURE 3. Finally, the cover flaps 11 and 12 are folded over and around the packaged object and the end flaps 30, 31 subsequently folded around and secured to the completed package with tape or glue.

FIGURE 6 shows the blank of FIGURE 5 partially wrapped around the book or other object to be shipped. Cover fiap 12 and the attached end flaps 30, 31 are shown in place and cover flap 11 is shown ready to be folded down over the book to complete the package. When the package is completely formed this embodiment gives a fiat and continuous end panel unlike the end panel shown in FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 7 illustrates yet another modification of the book wrapper within the contemplation of the present invention. This particular form is very much like the FIGURE 5 blank with the addition of a double panel insert flap 32, 33 at each corner of the wrapper adjacent the end flaps 30, 31. The insert fiap added in this form provides further protection to the corners of the packaged object and is arranged so as to tuck in between the brace panel 27 and end flap panel 30 as shown in FIG- URE 8. For this modification, the book or other object is arranged on the blank in the same manner used as hereinbefore described with the FIGURE 5 blank. The insert or tuck-in flaps 32, 33 are folded inward as the end flaps 30, 31 are wrapped around the package as illustrated in FIGURE 8.

FIGURES 9 and 10 show in the simplest form a modified book wrapper which requires only one cut line dividing the end panel to form the automatic bumper end which characterizes my invention. In particular, the blank shown in FIGURE 9 has a bottom panel 34, side walls 37 and cover flaps 35, 36 cut in the conventional manner. The end panels are each formed from a retaining fla 40 which is separated by parallel but off set fold lines from the bottom panel 34. The parallel fold lines 41, 43 define a leg or brace member 42 and the parallel fold lines 44, 45 define a similar but off set leg or brace member 38 at each end panel. Each of the legs are separated by the cut line 39 and are positioned diagonally across from one another to produce the desired X-shaped end panel structure when viewed from the edge. The book or other object to be wrapped is placed on the bottom panel 34 with the lower periphery of the book or object located along fold lines 46 and 43. The end panels are then folded around the object so that two sides of the upper periphery of the object are engaged by fold lines 41, and, the cover panels folded around the object so that the fold lines 47 engage the opposite edges of the upper periphery of the object. In this condition, the retaining flaps 40 and cover flaps 35, 36 are parallel but separated from the bottom panel 34 by the object itself as shown in FIG- URE 10. The package is then ready to be glued or wrapped with tape as the final packaging step. The book wrapper of this modification leaves open ends at the corners of the package but still provides a simple cushioning bumper at the ends while using a minimum of board.

The modification illustrated in FIGURES 11-13 is in the form of a two part package including a one-cover panel. The wrapper blank shown in FIGURE 11 has a bottom panel 48 with end panels attached at the sides thereof constructed in the same fashion that the end panels of the FIGURE 1 modification are constructed. The end panels each include a retaining flap 49 which is integrally connected to the bottom panel by legs or brace members 50, 51. As disclosed in FIGURE 1, the legs are defined by pairs of offset but parallel fold lines separated by cut lines. The fold lines 52, 53 and cut line 56 define legs and fold lines 54, 55 and cut lines 56 define the center leg 51. It is, of course, within the scope of my invention to modify the orientation of, or, multiply the number of legs to produce the automatic bumper end which characterizes my invention.

The FIGURE 11 wrapper is completed with the addition of a side wall 57 attached along fold line 58 to the bottom panel 48, and a top panel 59 attached to the side wall 57 along fold line 60. In this embodiment, in order to fabricate a completely enclosed wrapper, there is provided an opposite side wall 61 attached to the top panel 59 along fold line 62, and, encompassing additional end walls 63 attached to the top panel 59 along fold lines 64. This completes the package except for the end glue flaps 65 and side glue flap 66 which are separated from the end and side walls 63, 61 respectively along respective fold lines 67 and 68.

FIGURE 12 illustrates the partially sealed wrapper showing one of the end glue flaps 65 opened with the side glue flap 66 fixed in place. When the auxiliary end wall 63 is folded down to enclose the bumper end, and the glue flap 65 secured in place, a completely sealed and integrated package is achieved.

FIGURE 13 shows a bottom view of the sealed package wherein each of the glue flaps is in place.

In accordance with the patent statute, I have described the principles of construction and operation of my shipping container for books or other similar objects. The different modifications set forth are intended to be exemplary of my contribution and I desire to have it understood that obvious changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A shipping container formed from a single blank of corrugated paperboard comprising:

(a) a bottom panel;

(b) side walls hingedly attached at fold lines along the sides of the bottom panel;

(c) cover flaps hingedly attached at fold lines to the said side walls; and,

(d) an end panel hingedly attached at each end of the bottom panel, said end panels including:

(1) a series of legs attached between the bottom panel and an end panel retaining flap along parallel fold lines, said legs being separated from one another by cut lines perpendicular to said parallel fold lines wherein each successive leg has its fold lines olfset from the preceding leg so that alternate legs will lie in a common plane intersecting the midpoint of the common plane of the remaining legs when the retaining flap is folded parallel to the-bottom panel.

2. The shipping container recited in claim 1 wherein each end panel comprises at least three legs, one at each side of the end panel which lie in a common plane, and a third leg intermediate the side legs lying in an intersecting plane to obliquely bridge the space between the bottom panel and end panel retaining flap.

3. The shipping container recited in claim 2 which includes the object to be shipped located and retained in the container between the bottom panel and the retaining flap remote from the end panel outer edge.

4. The shipping container recited in claim 1 further comprising:

(e) corner protecting flaps hingedly attached at fold lines along the ends of each cover flap.

5. The shipping container recited in claim 4 wherein the said corner protecting flaps comprise two panels one of which extends between the bottom panel and the retaining flap while the other overlaps the bottom panel.

6. The shipping container recited in claim 4 further comprising:

(15) a double panel insert flap located at each corner.

7. The shipping container recited in claim 6 wherein one of said double panels at each corner is hingedly attached along a fold line to the respective side wall and the opposite double panel is hingedly attached along a fold line to the respective corner protecting flap.

8. The shipping container recited in claim 7 wherein the double panels at each corner are further hingedly attached to one another along a fold line permitting the double panel to tuck inside the container at each corner.

9. The shipping container recited in claim 1 wherein each end panel comprises not more than two legs which lie in intersecting planes to obliquely bridge the space between the bottom panel and the retaining flap.

10. A shipping container formed from a single blank of corrugated paperboard comprising:

(a) a bottom panel;

(b) a side panel hingedly attached along a fold line at one side thereof;

(c) a top panel hingedly attached along a fold line to the opposite edge of the side panel, said top panel having additional side and end walls hingedly attached along fold lines at each of its other edges; and

(d) an end panel hingedly attached at each end of the bottom panel, said end panels including;

(1) a series of legs attached between the bottom panel and an end panel retaining flap along parallel fold lines, said legs being separated from one another by cut lines perpendicular to said parallel fold lines wherein each successive leg has its fold lines offset from the preceding leg so that alternate legs will lie in a common plane intersecting the midpoint of the common plane of the remaining legs when the retaining flap is folded parallel to the bottom panel. I

11. The shipping container recited in claim 10 wherein each of the side and end walls attached at the outer edges of said cover panel have glue flaps hingedly attached along fold lines at their opposite edges.

12. The shipping container recited in claim 10 wherein each end panel comprises at least three legs, one at each side of the end panel which lie in a common plane, and a third leg intermediate the side legs lying in an intersecting plane to obliquely bridge the space between the bottom panel and end panel retaining flap.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,027,063 3/ 1962 Zastrow 229-40 X 3,110,435 11/1963 Layne 22940 3,116,005 12/ 1963 Skaggs 22940 3,289,824- 12/1966 Boitel 229-40 X DAVID M. BOCKENEK, Primary Examiner. 

